WooCommerce: How to Edit Your Shop Page Template (Even if You’re a Beginner!)

So, you’ve got your WooCommerce store set up, products listed, and you’re ready to start selling. But something feels… off. Maybe the shop page layout isn’t quite what you envisioned. Maybe you want to add a catchy banner or tweak the product display. Don’t worry! This guide will walk you through how to edit your WooCommerce shop page template, even if you’re a complete newbie. We’ll focus on simple, non-coding solutions first, and then touch on some basic code customization for those feeling adventurous.

Why Customize Your Shop Page?

Imagine walking into a brick-and-mortar store. Would you prefer a well-organized space with attractive displays, or a chaotic mess where you can barely find what you’re looking for? Your online shop is the same! A well-designed shop page can significantly impact:

• User Experience (UX): An intuitive and visually appealing shop page makes it easier for customers to find products and encourages them to browse.
• Conversion Rates: A strategically designed shop page can guide customers towards making a purchase. Think clear call-to-actions (like “Add to Cart” buttons) and prominent product details.
• Branding: Your shop page reflects your brand identity. Customizing it allows you to create a unique and memorable experience for your customers.
• SEO (Search Engine Optimization): Optimizing elements like headings and product descriptions can improve your store’s visibility in search engine results.

Method 1: Using the WordPress Customizer (The Easiest Way!)

The WordPress Customizer is your best friend for making simple changes without touching any code. Here’s how to use it for basic shop page customization:

1. Access the Customizer: In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance -> Customize.

2. Look for WooCommerce Options: The Customizer usually has a dedicated “WooCommerce” section. Click on it.

3. Explore the Available Options: Within the WooCommerce section, you might find options for:

• Product Catalog: This allows you to control how products are displayed on the shop page. You might be able to adjust:
• Products per page: The number of products displayed on each page.
• Columns: The number of product columns.
• Product sorting: The default way products are sorted (e.g., by price, popularity).
• Category display: How product categories are displayed (e.g., displaying category thumbnails or subcategories).
• Product Images: Controls the size and aspect ratio of product images.
• Checkout: Allows you to customize the checkout process.

4. Make Your Changes and Publish: Adjust the settings to your liking. The Customizer provides a real-time preview, so you can see the changes before they go live. Once Check out this post: How To Change Woocommerce Product Title Font Avada you’re happy, click the “Publish” button.

Example: Let’s say you want to display 4 products per row on your shop page. Navigate to the “Product Catalog” section within the WooCommerce Customizer. Find the “Products per row” setting and change it to 4. You’ll see the change reflected in the preview.

Reasoning: The Customizer offers a safe and intuitive way to make basic shop page customizations without risking breaking your site. It’s ideal for beginners who are not comfortable with code.

Method 2: Using WooCommerce Shortcodes

WooCommerce provides several useful shortcodes that you can use within any page to display products, categories, and more.

1. Create or Edit a Page: Go to Pages -> Add New (or edit your existing shop page).

2. Insert the Shortcode: Use the WordPress editor to insert the shortcode you need. Here are a few examples:

• Display all products: `[products]`
• Display products from a specific category: `[products category=”clothing”]` (replace “clothing” with your category slug).
• Display a specific number of products: `[products limit=”8″]`
• Display featured products: `[featured_products limit=”4″]`
• Display products on sale: `[sale_products limit=”4″]`

3. Customize the Shortcode (if needed): Many shortcodes have attributes that you can use to customize their behavior. Refer to the WooCommerce documentation for a complete list of available attributes.

4. Publish the Page: Publish the page to see the results.

Example: You want to create a separate “Sale” page displaying only products that are currently on sale. Create a new page, add the shortcode `[sale_products limit=”8″ columns=”4″]`, and publish the page. This will display the 8 most recently added sale products in 4 columns.

Reasoning: Shortcodes are a flexible way to display products in different contexts, like landing pages or blog posts. They offer more control over the content than the Customizer, but still don’t require you to write any code.

Method 3: Overriding WooCommerce Templates (For the More Adventurous!)

This method involves directly editing the template files that control the layout of your shop page. This is more advanced and requires a basic understanding of HTML and PHP. Always back up your site before making any changes!

1. Understand the Template Hierarchy: WooCommerce uses a template hierarchy to determine which template file to use for different pages. For the shop page, the relevant template is often located in `wp-content/plugins/woocommerce/templates/archive-product.php`. However, never edit these files directly! You’ll lose your changes when WooCommerce is updated.

2. Create a Child Theme: If you don’t already have one, create a child theme. This protects your customizations from theme updates.

3. Copy the Template File to Your Child Theme: Create a folder named `woocommerce` in your child theme directory. Then, copy `archive-product.php` from `wp-content/plugins/woocommerce/templates/` into your child theme’s `woocommerce` folder (e.g., `wp-content/themes/your-child-theme/woocommerce/archive-product.php`).

4. Edit the Template File: Now you can safely edit the `archive-product.php` file in your child theme. Use a text editor or code editor to make your changes.

Example: Let’s say you want to add a custom heading above the product listings on your shop page. Open `archive-product.php` in your child theme and add the following code snippet:

 <?php /** 
The Template for displaying product archives, including the main shop page which is a post type archive
 
* This template can be overridden by copying it to yourtheme/woocommerce/archive-product.php.
 
* HOWEVER, on occasion WooCommerce will need to update template files and you
 
(the theme developer) will need to copy the new files to your theme to
 
maintain compatibility. If you copy this file to your theme, WooCommerce
 
will attempt to load the copied file.
 
* @see https://docs.woocommerce.com/document/template-structure/
 
@package WooCommerceTemplates
 
@version 3.4.0
 */ 

defined( ‘ABSPATH’ ) || exit;

get_header( ‘shop’ );

?>

<?php

/

* Hook: woocommerce_archive_description.

*

* @hooked woocommerce_taxonomy_archive_description – 10

* @hooked woocommerce_product_archive_description – 10

*/

do_action( ‘woocommerce_archive_description’ );

?>

Welcome to Our Amazing Shop!

<?php

if ( woocommerce_product_loop() ) {

/

* Hook: woocommerce_before_shop_loop.

*

* @hooked woocommerce_output_all_notices – 10

*/

do_action( ‘woocommerce_before_shop_loop’ );

woocommerce_product_loop_start();

if ( wc_get_loop_prop( ‘total’ ) ) {

while ( have_posts() ) {

the_post();

/

* Hook: woocommerce_shop_loop.

*/

do_action( ‘woocommerce_shop_loop’ );

wc_get_template_part( ‘content’, ‘product’ );

}

}

woocommerce_product_loop_end();

/

* Hook: woocommerce_after_shop_loop.

*

* @hooked woocommerce_pagination – 10

*/

do_action( ‘woocommerce_after_shop_loop’ );

} else {

/

* Hook: woocommerce_no_products_found.

*

* @hooked wc_no_products_found – 10

*/

do_action( ‘woocommerce_no_products_found’ );

}

get_footer( ‘shop’ );

Look for `

` tag and put your code between that tag and `<php if Check out this post: How To List Shop By Brand In Woocommerce ( woocommerce_product_loop() ) {`

5. Save Your Changes: Save the `archive-product.php` file. Your custom heading should now appear on your shop page.

Reasoning: Overriding templates gives you complete control over the layout and functionality of your shop page. However, it requires technical skills and careful consideration of WooCommerce’s template structure. Always test your changes thoroughly and keep your template files up-to-date with any changes in the core WooCommerce templates. Consider using hooks and filters (mentioned below) for a more maintainable approach.

Bonus: Using WooCommerce Hooks and Filters

Hooks and filters are a more elegant and maintainable way to customize WooCommerce than directly editing template files. They allow you to insert custom code or modify existing data without altering the core WooCommerce code.

• Hooks: Allow you to “hook” your own functions into specific points in the WooCommerce code.
• Filters: Allow you to modify data before it’s displayed.

Learning how to use hooks and filters is beyond the scope of this beginner’s guide, but it’s a powerful technique to explore as you become more comfortable with WooCommerce development. Check the WooCommerce documentation for a list of available hooks and filters.

Important Considerations

• Backup, Backup, Backup! Before making any changes to your site, especially when editing template files, always create a backup. This will allow you to easily restore your site if something goes wrong.
• Child Themes: Use a child theme to protect your customizations from theme updates.
• Test Thoroughly: After making any changes, test your shop page on different devices and browsers to ensure that it looks and functions as expected.
• WooCommerce Documentation: Refer to the official WooCommerce documentation for detailed information on template files, hooks, filters, and other customization options.
• Updates: Keep your WooCommerce plugin, theme, and WordPress core up-to-date. Outdated software can lead to security vulnerabilities and compatibility issues.